parishmouse

parishmouse is being updated every day with material culled from old directories and other sources about the West Midland Counties. Well I think it is all West Midlands. Spend a little time with it. Its interface seems quirky to begin with, but I can see the point of it. Rather than a bland home page telling you the history of the project, it shows you the latest relevant material first, throwing you into reading the text. Addictive of course, especially since I had been searching for something completely different when I ran across it, then spent two hours reading.

Droitwich Canals

Droitwich Canals Trust have an interesting page about the history of the two canals - The Droitwich Barge Canal from Droitwich to the River Severn at Hawford and the Droitwich Junction Canal, which links the town to the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. I walked part of the Barge Canal yesterday as part of a (long) walk from Mitre Oak to Worcester. As long as it hasn't rained recently, the canal is easily walkable.

There's holy ground in Worcester

There's holy ground in Worcester, claimed duo - This Is Worcestershire archive.
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both later Presidents of the USA, but at that time diplomats in Paris and London, came to Worcester in 1768. Standing on Fort Royal Hill, they declared "All England should come in pilgrimage to to this hill." The link, to the website of the Worcester News, tells why.

The Modern Antiquarian

"Welcome to The Modern Antiquarian website, based on Julian Cope's epic guidebook of the same name. Since launching in March 2000ce, the site has grown to be a massive resource for news, information, images, folklore & weblinks on the ancient sites across the UK & Ireland, thanks to the remarkable efforts of all those who contribute."

Try a postcode search from your home. Mine came up with 9 sites, including dozens of photographs, and an hour's fascinating reading. There's no need to register to do this, only to add your own photos and text.

Worcester Vista

Here's a good collection of short articles, including memories, descriptions and local observations. It covers the area around Worcester, and comes from the pen (no, probably the keyboard and camera) of Basil Drinkwater. Good work, Basil!

Worcester City Gaol

Laslett's Almshouses in Friar Street may look old, but in fact they are mock Tudor, from 1912. The site was first used as part of the Friary of the Greyfriars, who had their chapel outside the City Wall, where the furniture shop is now in Carden Street.
The City Gaol from the early 1800s was in the former Friary buildings. It was traditional for charitable gentry, usually ladies, to present dinners to the prisoners on Christmas day or Boxing day, and the prisoners would show their gratitude by advertisements in newspapers: "The prisoners in the City Gaol return thanks to a lady: for a dinner of beef, ale and potatoes", thus appeared in Berrow's Journal for January 1st, 1824. The "new" City Gaol (which appears in the picture) was obviously up to date, since the same newspaper a week later says "It is understood that when the new city gaol shall be ready for the reception of inmates, the magistrates will take active steps for reforming them, by introducing a treadmill".
This new gaol was designed by George Byfield, who also built the House of Industry on Tallow Hill and is commemorated in the street name there: Byfield Rise. To help the prisoners, the governor would allow the 'trusties' to wait at table at his dinner parties. One individual was even trusted to carry the lamp to light the guests back to their houses. Until one night he went missing, and so did several items of silver. After the County Gaol was built in Castle Street, William Laslett bought the buildings in 1867 and used the cells as almshouses for poor couples, his money paying for them to be replaced eventually by the present almshouses.

The Malverns - Going under the hills

Fascinating story of Malvern's two railway tunnels in this BBC website.

Cornucopia

Cornucopia, an online database of information about more than 6,000 collections in the UK's museums, galleries, archives and libraries. Whether you are interested in painters or politicians, dinosaurs or space travel, the Romans or the Victorians, Cornucopia can tell you what is available and where to see it.

Archenfield Archaeology - Worcester

Archenfield Archaeology have been busy in Worcester these last few years. You can see some reports here. I liked the Hadley Porcelain article best. The photo is of the Hadley Works in Diglis in 1901.

Worcester City Museums Web Site

Worcester City Museum features in our programme for September 2005, so I thought you might like this link to their site, illustrated by Young's map of Worcester 1779

Eastnor Castle - photos

BBC - Hereford and Worcester - In Pictures - Eastnor Castle - photos
Eastnor Castle

The castle was the family seat of two families, the Cocks and the Somers. The Cocks' family moved to Eastnor at the end of the 16th century. The latest BBC local history feature.

Geograph

Geograph British Isles is a site which seeks pictures, at least one from each grid square. A search for Worcester gives 3724 images, or it did when I tried a few minutes ago. Yet there grid square I tried hasn't got a picture yet, so I'll try to be first.

Priest Holes, moats and knots

Harvington Hall features in this photogallery on the BBC local website. The website for the Hall itself is Harvington Hall

A2A - Access to Archives | Home

I came across this reference in the U3A Signpost newsletter.

A2A - Access to Archives
The A2A database contains catalogues describing archives held throughout England and dating from the 900s to the present day.
A2A does not yet offer a full description of all the archives in England, but it is regularly updated, so revisit often for newly-included catalogues.
Please note that our URL will be changing soon to http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a

Marcel bent over backwards

BBC - Hereford and Worcester - Features - Marcel bent over backwards
Some of you will have known Marcel Callow, Worcester's India Rubber Man. There are some wonderful pictures here.

Edward Elgar

Edward Elgar - Web site of The Elgar Society, Elgar Birthplace and Elgar Foundation deserves a mention as the authoritative place for information on old Eddie.

Battle of Worcester

BBC - Hereford and Worcester - Features - Battle of Worcs
All sorts of material from BBC, Commandery Museum and other local organisations giving background, timelines, pictures and text about the Civil War and its aftermath.

Worcester News

The Worcester News (the new name for the Worcester Evening News) Website on Worcester news and Worcester sport information gateway brought to you by this is Worcestershire has an archive search, which not only helps you with news stories from the last few years, but also indexes Michael Grundy's wonderful articles about local history.

Fountains at South Quay

Ride a Cock-horse (Harpers.org)

Here's the origin of the mythical animal the Cock Horse, best known frok the nursery rhyme. Nothing local about it, although I found it because it has Worcester in it as a surname.A Cock-horse (Harpers.org)